Guwahati, Assam: In a show of respect, Assam minister and BJP leader Pijush Hazarika halted his election rally speech upon hearing the call to prayer from a nearby mosque in Assam’s Baksa district on Wednesday.
Video footage circulating on social media captured the moment when Hazarika paused momentarily as the call to prayer echoed from a mosque situated close to the rally podium.
#WATCH | Assam Minister Pijush Hazarika pauses his speech as ‘Azaan’ plays out from a nearby Mosque, during an election campaign.
(Source: Pijush Hazarika’s Office) pic.twitter.com/0Sb5Pb4Z9v
— ANI (@ANI) May 1, 2024
Baksa, located in lower Assam, falls within the Kokrajhar Lok Sabha constituency.
The third phase of polling on May 7 will decide the fate of four Lok Sabha constituencies in Assam: Barpeta, Dhubri, Guwahati, and Kokrajhar, concluding the electoral process for all 14 parliamentary seats in the state. The preceding two phases, held on April 19 and April 26, covered ten seats.
These four constituencies hold significant importance for both the BJP and Congress. The BJP aims to maximize its seat count in line with its national target of 400 seats, while the Congress strives to secure as many seats as possible amid internal challenges.
Notably, all four constituencies scheduled for the third phase of polling have substantial Muslim populations, prompting the BJP to actively engage with this demographic. Despite facing challenges in winning over minority voters, the BJP may benefit from the division of votes between the AIUDF and Congress, both of which vie for the minority electorate.
Assam’s chief minister has intensified his outreach efforts, emphasizing during campaign rallies that the Modi-led government has ensured equitable distribution of schemes and programs across all communities, including Muslims.
During a rally in Nagaon’s Dhing on April 19, attended predominantly by Muslim voters, thousands from the community listened attentively to the chief minister. Subsequently, minority voters have been attending BJP rallies in large numbers.
In the current Lok Sabha elections, the BJP is contesting 11 out of 14 seats in Assam, with its allies Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and UPPL contesting in two (Barpeta and Dhubri) and one (Kokrajhar) seat, respectively.
In the 2014 elections, the BJP secured seven out of 14 seats in Assam, while both the Congress and AIUDF won three seats each. In 2019, the BJP increased its seat count to nine, while the Congress maintained its three seats, and the AIUDF secured one seat.
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